Senator Bill Nelson Proposes Job Killing Energy Tax Hike

Senator Bill Nelson (D-Fla.) introduced amendment SA. 4595 to the Small Business Lending Act which would raise taxes on America’s energy companies and result in extensive job loss and reduced economic activity.

Sen. Nelson introduced SA 4595 to remedy the burdensome 1099 reporting requirements imposed on small businesses by the Patient Protection and Affordability Care Act. To fund exemptions for some small businesses, Sen. Nelson’s amendment repeals the Section 199 manufacturing deduction for the nation’s leading oil and natural gas companies. Enacted in 2004 to foster domestic job creation and economic growth, Section 199 allows all American companies to deduct a portion of their income derived from domestic production and manufacturing activities.

Repealing this job creating tax rule for just oil and natural gas producers is an effective tax increase on an industry that indirectly or directly employs over 9 million workers and adds over a trillion dollars to the American economy.

“The last thing our economy needs is a punitive tax upon its energy infrastructure and its nation’s largest employers. The Nelson amendment will only exacerbate our economic woes by hamstringing growth and slowing job creation,” said Grover Norquist, President of Americans for Tax Reform.

Also looking to address the onerous 1099 reporting requirement, Sen. Mike Johanns (R-Neb.) has introduced amendment SA 4596 which would exempt every small business from the health care bill’s 1099 mandate. Differentiating itself from Sen. Nelson’s amendment, Sen. Johanns’ proposal funds the 1099 exemption through reductions in future spending rather than taxing energy producers.

“The Senate has every reason to exempt the nation’s small business from unnecessary federal regulations, but there’s no reason we should have to rob Peter to pay Paul. Senator Nelson’s proposal simply shifts economic damages from small businesses to America’s oil and natural gas producers,” said Norquist.